John a



(No Model.)

J. A. KRANZ.

THILL COUPLING.

No. 352,469. Patented Nov. 9, 1886.

WlTNESSES INVENTOR ATTORNEYS spective.

UNITED STATES PATENT Enron. 7

JOHN A. KRANZ, or WAUKEGAN, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB on ONEHALF TO E.MOARTHUR, or SAME PLACE.

THlLL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 352,459, dated November9, 1886.

Application filed February 17, 1886. Serial No. 192,251. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN A. KRANZ, a citizen of the United States,residing at VVaukegan, in the county of Lake and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Thill-Couplings; and Ido declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description oftheinvention, such as will enable others-skilled in the art to which itap pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1,-of the drawings is a representation of this invention, and isa perspective view. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section. Figs. 3,4, and 5 are details and are shown in per- Fig. 6 is also a detail andis shown in vertical section.

My invention relates to thin-couplings; and it consists in theconstruction and novel combination of parts, as will be hereinafter setforth, and pointed out in the claim.

Referring by letter to the accompanying drawings, A designates one ofthe clips, which is provided with the forwardly-extended integral arms BB, having horizontal transverse grooves 00 in each eye D D, said groovesbeing arranged in the same vertical planes. Upon the upper edges of thearms B B are two transverse external ribs, E E. The thillirons G areeach provided with a transverse eye or bolt-hole, H, which is providedwith diametrically-opposite horizontal transverse grooves I 1. p

K designates one of the bolts by which the eyes of the thill-irons aresecured between the arms B B of the clips A. The bolt K is pointed atone end, to facilitate its introduction into the eyes of the arms B Band of the thill-iron, and is provided with ribs K K to engage thegrooves of said thill-iron. In order to accomplish the insertion, thegrooves I I andC 0 must be aligned, and their align-- ment may bereadily determined either by the sense of sight or feeling by bringingthe ribs E E on the arms B B in line with the rib E on the upperexternal face of the thill-irons.

This improvement is of great advantage in operating in stables and atnight when there is little light. I

The feathers or ribs'KK on the bolt K are just long enough to fitbetween the inner faces of the arms B B, so that the forward ends of thethills may rise and fall, to accommodate the movements of the horse andvehicle, the journals of the bolt being seated in the eyes of the armsof the clip and having free movement therein. By this construction thebolts K can only be inserted when the grooves O G in the eyes D D arealigned with the grooves I I, and can only be withdrawn under similarconditions. To this end the angular position of the grooves of the eyesof the clip with relation to that of the eye of the thill-iron is 6 suchthat when the thills are raised to the harnessed position the formergrooves will not register with the latter, and the bolt will be heldsecurely in position; but when the thills are thrown down to a certainangle the grooves 70, will register, and the pin can be withdrawn toenable the shafts to be readily detached.

I am aware of Patent No. 221,341, in which the forward branches of theclip are provided with transverse oblong apertures and the boltis'recessed on its forward longitudinal edge, near opposite ends, toengage the eyes or apertures of the clip branches, and therefore do notclaim such devices.

Having described this invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent,

The combination, with the clip having the arms B B, formed with eyeshaving grooves, and with exterior transverse guide-ribs, E E, .85 of thethill-iron G, formed with the exterior guide-rib andv provided with thetransverse bolt-hole H, having horizontal grooves I 1, and the bolt K,provided with the ribs K K between shoulders, substantially asspecified.

In testimony whereofI affix my signature in presence of two witnesses;

JOHN A. KRA'NZ.

IVitnesses:

HARRISON W. MELLAR, FRANK G. LooMIs.

